Movies

The LBC presenter and political commentator, Iain Dale, is well-known for his books and support of West Ham United. But did you know the 63-year-old is also a big movie fan? Last week, Lee Anderson MP revealed his favourite film of all time is a Tom Hanks classic, and it turns out another is among Dale’s Top 5, as revealed exclusively to the Daily Express, with his reasons why.

Nicolas Cage is very much in the experimental independent film stage of his career and his latest movie is as wild as ever.The Oscar-winner stars as Joseph (more old surfer hippie dude than 1st century step-father to the Son of God) opposite FKA Twigs’ Virgin Mary in the new supernatural thriller, The Carpenter’s Son.Opening with the newlyweds smuggling Jesus out of Bethlehem as King Herod’s men burn a newborn baby alive, it was clear this ambitious film wasn’t going to hold back.The focus of its strange tale is the Flight to Egypt, when the Holy Family are hiding in exile from the Massacre of the Innocents.However, writer-director Lofty Nathan has departed from the traditional gospel narratives, which New Testament scholars date within the disciples’ lifetime.Instead, the cradle Coptic...

The latest adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has recently been released on the popular streaming site Netflix, starring Jacob Elordi as The Creature and Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein. The movie has received high acclaim from critics and viewers alike for its stunning cinematography, exquisite gothic costumes, a gripping storyline, and compelling acting.Initially, when watching this film, it took me a while to become invested. The runtime is a staggering two hours and 29 minutes, and the pacing began quite slowly. However, after forcing myself to give it a proper watch, I have to admit that this is one of the best adaptations I have seen in a long time. But this led me to question, what is the best Frankenstein movie of all time?There are hundreds of adaptations of the novel...

Wicked: For Good is set to grace cinema screens this Friday (November 21), and fans are on tenterhooks to discover who will be stepping into the role of Dorothy.Ever since it was confirmed that the young girl from Kansas would be featuring in the film, fans have been eager to find out who the fortunate actress will be.In the stage version, Dorothy features prominently in the second act. However, in a surprising twist for Wicked: For Good, Dorothy's screen time will be significantly reduced, deviating from what musical enthusiasts might expect.Rumours have been swirling about who will don the iconic sparkly red shoes, with big names like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Alisha Weir being suggested. However, those who were sharp-eyed during exclusive screenings of the film on Monday (Nove...

A contentious film charting Donald Trump's ascent to power has been quietly added to Netflix's catalogue. The US President has vehemently criticised the film, even attempting to prevent its release.The Apprentice narrates the tale of the tycoon's rise to prominence and his ability to outmanoeuvre the system to reach the pinnacle in New York City. This biographical period drama follows the future world leader as he strives to make a name for himself in the Big Apple.In response to the film's production, the magnate went to great lengths to ensure the movie never saw the light of day. However, after receiving critical acclaim, film enthusiasts can now experience the project first-hand as it is added to the streaming platform.Co-funded by Irish investment, the film portrays a determined Tr...

The final instalment of the Wicked franchise, Wicked: For Good, has already received rave reviews from film enthusiasts, despite not being fully released in cinemas yet.The film is the second part of the movie adaptation of the hit musical and sees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo reprising their roles. Fans have been eagerly anticipating the conclusion of the story since the first part was released last year.Now, it seems viewers have already made up their minds about the finale. Despite not having a public release yet, the film has garnered an impressive score on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.Based solely on audience reviews, Wicked: For Good holds a whopping 97% rating. Over 2,000 different accounts have already given their scores, thanks to securing exclusive early viewin...

Set in a quaint town, this touching and uplifting film explores the bond shared by a group of women as they navigate through collective heartbreak.The remarkable, award-winning cast of Steel Magnolias includes Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah and Olympia Dukakis, portraying friends who endure the loss of one of their close-knit circle. The eighties film was adapted from a screenplay of the same name by Robert Harling, which addresses his sister's death.Fans of the comedy drama have lauded it for leaving a lasting impression on them with an ideal blend of love, laughter and tears.Field portrays Mary Lynn, who is assisting her daughter Shelby (Roberts) in preparing for her impending wedding. Meanwhile, timid beauty school graduate Annelle (Hannah) a...

The Chronicles of Narnia is a nostalgic British film series (Image: 20th Century Fox/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures )Whether we first saw these films just yesterday or 10 years ago, they will always give off that strong feeling of nostalgia. There are the classic films that often appear around Christmas time and then there are others that will take you right back to your childhood. From Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to Hook, these classic gems, more often than not based on a good book, will leave you reminiscing. These are my top 11 most nostalgic movies that you probably forgot existed - in no particular order.BigBig is a 1988 fantasy comedy film directed by Penny Marshall and starring Tom Hanks alongside Elizabeth Perkins, David Moscow, John Heard, and Robert Loggia. T...

Netflix is a treasure trove of hidden gems, and one such gem is the gritty World War Two action-thriller 'Blood and Gold'. This film, with all the swagger of a spaghetti western, was released on the streaming platform back in 2023 and continues to captivate viewers with its blend of bullets, black humour and blood-soaked chaos.Set in the twilight days of World War 2, this German-language film (with English subtitles) follows the story of Heinrich, portrayed by Robert Maaser. Heinrich is a weary German deserter whose only desire is to return home alive.However, he finds himself entangled with a ruthless SS unit that is hell-bent on finding a stash of hidden gold.His unlikely ally is Elsa, played by Marie Hacke, a sharp-tongued fighter who refuses to let Nazis - or anyone else for that ma...

The film that introduced Pierce Brosnan to the world’s most famous spy series is leaving Amazon Prime Video soon and fans have less than two weeks to watch it.In the seventeenth instalment of the James Bond series, agent 007 needs to prevent his former ally and rogue ex-MI6 agent, Alec Trevelyan (played by Sean Bean), who had faked his death, from targeting London with a satellite weapon able to disable any electronic device.The story develops as Bond is assigned to investigate and track down the villain, with the help of computer programmer Natalya Simonova, who was one of the initial designers of the weapon.Released in 1995, GoldenEye is the first film to not be based on the works of Ian Fleming, and came after a six-year hiatus in Bond movies.Judi Dench was also introduced to the ser...